Polar scope question

[Terry Scope]

When I look through my polar scope I see not only where Polaris should be in relation to NCP but also The Big Dipper and Cassiopeia. Now I understand about Polaris and NCP but what use are the other two representations which are not even in the correct positions relative to Polaris. What use are the Bgg Dipper and Cassiopeia?

[Parus major]

Hi mate!

This one hurt my head for a while until I realised that the view is also inverted. Up to that point I'd been using google sky to get my polaris circle but It was having it upsides down. Basically, if polaris is at an 11 o'clock position then you want to set it as being in the 7 position - then the other marking as correct.

[Terry Scope]

Ah! never thought of that. So when I use Solarium to find out where Polaris is wrt NCP I need to invert it to Polar align. As you say Polaris at 7pm according to Solarium means Polaris at 11pm in my Polar scope. That might explain why my Goto is always out? Doh!!!

[Parus major]

Actually, I could even be wrong about the position, it could be the whole thing rotated so eleven is five. Ifound out about it during a tuitorial about using the date markers (12 being 6).

[glowjet]

Polar Finder by Jason Dale will show you the exact position of Polaris at given time

[Big Jim Slade]

When the polar scope is aligned correctly for your date and time, Ursa Major and Cassiopeia will be in approximately the same positions relative to Polaris in the sky as they appear in the reticule. It's to allow for a quick approximate alignment without worrying about the setting circles or as a sense check.

These days I tend to roughly align using the asterisms and then fine tune with EQalign, not bothering with the circles or HA times etc.